Mail box or road sign support



A. ,KAMMERICH MAIL BOX'OR ROAD SIGN SUPPORT Aug. 11; 1936.

Filed June 21, 1954 INVENTOR .7194 A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNrrEo PATENT oerics 1 Claim.

box or road sign supports.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide novel means for supporting a mail box or a road sign closely adjacent to a road, and with which the mail box, if struck by a passing vehicle going in either direction, will, without being damaged, be swung laterally from its normal operative position, and will then be automatically -returned to such operative position.

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means by which, when it is so desired, the supporting means for the mail box or road sign may be releasably locked in a posi- -tion in which the box or sign will be out of its normal operative position, as when it is desiredto grade the adjacent road shoulder or mow the grass or weeds thereon.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a support of the kind described which is simple, cheap to make and install, strong, durable, not likely to get out of order, and efficient in its operation.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved support shown carrying a mail box disposed in its normal operative position by the side of a road.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the support locked in a position diametrically opposite that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a reduced top view of what is shown in Fig. l, but showing the mail box disposed in a position in which it has been swung from its normal position to one parallel with the road.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation, of a portion of the article supporting member and the base member, parts broken away and parts shown in vertical section, and showing the article supporting member in the operative position.

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly broken away, of the parts shown in Fig. 4, but looking toward the road.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 4, with the article carrying member shown in the position parallel with the road.

Fig. '7 is an elevation showing the parts in the position as viewed in Fig. 6, the shield being omitted.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. '7, but with the article carrying member swung to a diametrically opposite position, the shield being omitted.

Fig, 9 is an enlarged view partly in side ele- My invention relates to improvements in mailvation and partly in vertical section of the parts rying member locked in the position shown in Fig. 2'.

Fig. I Ois a reduced side elevation showing the article carrying member in the operative posi tion and'carrying a road sign.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the different views.

The support for the mail box or other article is provided with a base member I the lower end of which is embedded in concrete 2 at one side of the pavement 3 of a road, the base member inclining upwardly toward the pavement.

An article supporting member has a lower tubular end portion 4a revoluble on the upper portion of the member I; an intermediate portion 5 which inclines upwardly from and in the plane or the portion 4a.; and an upper end portion 41), which, with the supporting member in the position shown in Fig. 1, extends vertically upwardly from the upper end of the portion 4, and is adapted to support a mail box 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or a road sign E5, as shown in Fig. 10.

The portion 4a which encircles the base member l is provided with an angular inverted V shaped slot 1, which is disposed at the right side of the portion 4a when the latter is in the operative position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and which in such position has its apex disposed in the vertical plane of the portion 4 the arms of the slot diverging downwardly in opposite directions.

Extending through the slot 1 and normally removably mounted in a transverse hole 8, which registers with the slot 1 at the angle thereof when the article supporting member is in the operative position, is a guiding means comprising a pin 9 which engages the upper edge of the slot I, said edge serving as a bearing surface which is adapted for traveling connection with the pin 9, the latter serving to support and also to lift the article supporting member when the latter is swung from the normal operative position, shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 10.

To prevent sleet or ice collecting in the slot 1, I provide a shield H] which has its upper end releasably fastened by a screw H to the portion 4a above the slot 1, and which has a partially cylindrical hollow lower end portion spaced from and partly encircling the portion 4a and covering the slot 1 and the pin 9.

The portion 4 extends across, in its operative position, the shoulder I2 of the road, and 2. vehicle, traveling in either direction, on striking the mail box 5 or the portion 4, will swing the latter toward a position parallel with the road, whereupon the pin 9 engaging with the upper edge of one arm of the slot 1, thereby lifting the article supporting member.

Upon being released, the article supporting member due both to the inclination of the member l and to the inclination of the upper edge of the slot 1, will swing by gravity back to its initial normal operative position, shown in Figs. 1 and 10.

If it is desired to grade or cut the weeds or grass on the shoulder l2, and it is desired to releasably hold the article supporting member out of its operative position for any other purpose, this may be effected as follows.

The screw H and shield I are removed, after which the pin 9 is removed from the slot 1 and the hole 8, upon which the article supporting member may be turned and lifted to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 9, in which position a hole l3, Figs. 4, 6, and 9, will register with a hole l4 through the member I and above and parallel with the hole 8. The pin 9 is then inserted through the holes l3 and I4, thus locking the portion do from turning on the base member I.

If desired, the hole l3 may be made to register with the hole 8, instead of with the hole 14, and the pin inserted in the holes l3 and 8 for holding the member 4 from revolving.

Upon removing the pin 9, the article supporting member may again be retracted to the operative position, shown in Fig. 4, the pin 9 reinserted through the slot 1 and into the hole 8, and the apparatus will again be in operative condition. The shield I0 may then be again attached in its covering position on the portion 4a by the screw ll.

By inclining the base member I so that the portion 4a turns on an inclined axis, as shown, means additional to the pin 9 engaging the angular bearing surface at the upper edge of the slot 1, is afforded, for reliably and quickly retracting the article carrying member to its operative position, after having been swung therefrom in either direction.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as many modifications, within the scope of the appended claim, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

In a mail box or road sign support, a base member having an axial portion inclined in a vertical plane, an article supporting member having an end portion revoluble in said axial portion, its other end portion being adapted to support an article, and an intermediate portion connecting said end portions extending laterally from and at an angle to said revoluble portion and adapted to swing by gravity to a lowermost position in said plane and to be swung laterally and upwardly therefrom in either direction, said revoluble portion having an inverted V shaped bearing surface the apex of which is diametrically opposite said intermediate portion, and a pin extending transversely outwardly from said base member and having traveling engagement with said bearing surface and when in said apex supporting said revoluble portion and adapted to lift the latter when said intermediate portion is swung in either direction from said lowermost position.

ANDREW KAMI/IERICH. 

